Mere Missions

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and has been appointed the heir of all things (Heb. 1.2). We are co-heirs because of our adoption as His children. As co-heirs we share in the inheritance of Jesus. Everything that is Jesus’s, belongs to us. We must not throw away our confidence in this as there is a great reward (Heb. 10.35). We must endure (Heb. 10.36). 7. The Church is a steward, a custodian of the power of God . . . the Gospel. The Church is the custodian of the keys of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 16.19). A key opens and locks doors. They represent authority, responsibility, and trust from the one who gives the keys to the one who receives the keys. The Church acts on behalf of the Lord Jesus to either set men free by the proclamation of the Gospel or keeping them bound by locking up their voice. Only the Church has the keys to unlock the power of the Gospel through her proclamation that, “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5.19a). We have been entrusted to steward this message of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5.19b). The stewardship of this proclamation is a tremendous responsibility the Church has toward the world. If the church fails, no one else can unlock the power of God, and the world will remain condemned, damned, separated from God and in the bondage of the evil one. The Church can either bind or lose depending on how they function in their custodianship (Matt. 18.18). As the steward and the custodian of the keys of the Kingdom of God and the unsearchable riches that are in Christ (Eph. 3.8), we must go to the nations and preach the power of God unto salvation to every creature (Mark 16.15). 8. The Church is the Church Militant. The Devil is relentless and ruthless. He shows no mercy and seeks only to kill, steal, and destroy. He is a tyrant who is totally depraved.